“Just like an apocalypse” – Surf lifesavers back competing after cyclone rescues

Surf lifesaving crews save stranded Hawke’s Bay residents.
Photo: SUPPLIED

Surflifesavers are looking forward to getting back to simulated rescues this weekend.

After putting their rescue skills into practice during Cyclone Gabrielle, Surf Life Savers are set to compete for the national IRB crown this weekend.

Hawke’s Bay clubs helped save hundreds of stranded residents from roofs in the days following the floods and also had the grim task of searching the waters for dead bodies.

Waimārama IRB coach Rhys Harman was among the first responders once day broke.

Generally IRB’s are driven on the sea, not highways, but that was the reality they found themselves thrust into.

“The only way I could really describe it was just like an apocalypse. Houses just decimated people on rooftops and we were just trying to figure out a way to get to them, driving over roads that were flooded over our heads.”

After making their way to Eskdale, one of the worst affected areas, Harman said they rescued well over two hundred people.

“It blew us away in terms of the destruction. Obviously, we were just trying to do the best we could and, and people were just appreciative of everything we could do, especially on that first day.”

As rumours swirled about hundreds of unaccounted bodies, make-shift morgues and several collapsed bridges, the emotional turmoil took its toll on crews.

“We’re doing our coastline searches with 12 to 15 IRBs and for those couple of days, we were actively trying to find any bodies that washed out from the rivers and for us, emotionally trying to prepare for that, it was tough.”

He said crews from all over Hawke’s Bay put in mammoth shifts as volunteers.

Surf lifesaving crews rescue stranded Hawke’s Bay residents.
Photo: SUPPLIED

“It’s quite a cool thing to know that as a region, when things like this happen, we come together. During normal club life we’re all competing against each other, trying be the best, but when it comes down to an emergency, everything like that gets put to the side, we just drop everything and head out, which is a pretty cool feeling and pretty awesome to be a part of.”

Westshore surf life saver Taylor Dick also did not hestitate when the call came.

“We managed to get quite a few people down from roofs and to safety but it’s hard to explain how much water and devastation came down through that valley.”

He said it was a draining experience.

“The crew was probably a bit shocked but at the time we’ve got a job to do so we kind of you know just got our minds focused on what we have to do. And then, the people we came across had obviously been through hell.”

Dick said the club’s training has been put on the backburner as they recover.

“We are still excited to get up there and see what happens.”

Harman said it has been a season stifled by circumstances.

“We weren’t allowed to train in the sea for about a month while the water was was too dirty and too contaminated. So, you know for us, as we were supposed to be kind of peaking for our season. We kind of just sit there twiddling our thumbs trying to think of other ways to train.”

Their gear was also damaged during the countless rescues.

“Obviously in a heartbeat, we will happily give up our gear in an emergency event but it is it is tough knowing all that gear we spent hours and hours working on and tuning up trying to get it to be as fast as possible has been damaged.”

Harman and his teammates said it will be a relief to get back to simulated rescues this weekend at the BP New Zealand Championships.

Event Organiser Luke Smith said the competition brings a welcome distraction for surf life savers.

Crews from thirty different clubs will descend on Waihi Beach with more than 300 surf life savers competing.

“This is a chance for our lifeguards to put their skills to the test.”

Smith said it’s been a tough time for many clubs and a sense of normality will be welcomed by crews.

“There’s been surf life savers around the country involved with recovery and some of those people are competing this weekend, which is a great opportunity for them to have a really enjoyable weekend after putting in an absolutely huge effort for the local community.”